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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

I told you in my last post I had a very special guest for my author interview for the month of November and I do... the six time New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin!

I am honored and privileged to have had the chance to ask her some questions. Thank you, so much Emily and Sarah for taking the time to do this for me.

JS: You’ve had six New York Times bestsellers. Out of all of your books, which has been your favorite to write?
EG: Each book was such a unique experience, in such different periods of my life (single in London, married with newborn twins) that I cannot adequately answer that question. I will tell you that my two favorite characters in any of my books are Kirby in Where We Belong and Darcy.
JS: On average, how long does it take you to write a book and how many rounds of edits do you go through?
EG: It takes about a year and there are countless rounds of edits. I am constantly going back and revising, almost daily.
JS: Do you have to run your ideas through your publisher or can you write anything you’d like and they publish it?
EG: I discuss early ideas with a small group of people including my editor.
JS: How many queries did you send out for Something Borrowed?
EG: I sent out five to agents and think she sent out five to publishers.
JS: With all the interviews you’ve done, is there a question that you’d like to be asked more or a question that you’ve never been asked that you wish people would?
EG: I feel it is important to support other authors and books that I have enjoyed. I like when I am asked who I am reading or who my favorites are. Here are some! Sarah Dunn, Lolly Winston, Kristin Hannah, Deirdre Shaw, Laura Dave, Allison Winn Scotch, Jill Smolinski, Jess Riley, Sarah Strohmeyer. I also read and greatly enjoyed these debut novels this year: Alys, Always by Harriet Lane; Can I Get an Amen? by Sarah Healy; Overseas by Beatriz Williams; and Groundswell by Katie Lee.

JS: How did it feel to see your book come to life in movie form?
EG: It was a remarkable experience. I loved the cast – they’re so perfect. Ginnifer Goodwin, with her face and her expression and her hair, is so much like the Rachel I imagined. And John Krasinski, though a bit taller than Ethan, has that sort of original face that I had imagined for Ethan, but yet he is still very good looking. And then Dex is gorgeous! Colin Egglesfield is so beautiful that he’s actually a little better looking than the Dex in my mind. And then Kate Hudson knocked it out of the park.
JS: Throughout your writing career, have you ever dealt with someone close to you being unsupportive and if so how did you deal with it?
EG: I have been incredibly lucky in this regard in that my family and friends have never been anything but supportive.

JS: Have you ever gotten discouraged and wanted to give up and if so how did you deal with it?
EG: My first book was a never published young adult novel. Rather than discourage me I used the experience as motivation. I used rejection letters as inspiration.
JS:What’s your favorite and least favorite part of being a successful, bestselling author?
EG: My favorite part is getting to interact with readers around the world. I love reading their emails and Facebook posts and meeting them at book signings and events. My least favorite would be writer’s block. ☺

JS:Do you have any advice for unpublished writers?
EG: Don’t let the idea of a novel overwhelm or intimidate you so much that you are too afraid to begin. It’s like training for a marathon. Nobody gets out there and runs twenty-six miles on their first effort. It takes daily training and discipline and desire. When you get to the “finding an agent” stage, check out Jeff Herman’s Guide to Agents. I found it to be very useful in that it gives a bit more background on agents. Random Questions Vanilla or chocolate? vanilla Coffee or tea? Coffee! Beach or snow? Either, if I can be inside ☺ Last book read? Alys Always Favorite author? Harper Lee Most played song on iPod? Anything by Bruce Favorite movie? Shawshank redemption Outliner or panster? Can I say both? Flats or heels? Heels Lipstick or chapstick? lipstick

Emily Giffin, a Chicago native, graduated summa cum laude from Wake Forest University and the University of Virginia School of Law. After law school, she moved to Manhattan and practiced litigation at a large firm for several years while she paid back her school loans, wrote a novel in her very limited spare time, and dreamed of becoming a writer.

Despite the rejection of her first manuscript, Giffin persisted, retiring from the legal profession and moving to London to pursue her dreams fulltime. It was there that she began writing Something Borrowed (2004), a story of a young woman who, upon turning thirty, finally learned to take a risk and follow her heart. One year later, Giffin's own gamble paid off, as she completed her manuscript, landed an agent and signed a two-book deal on both sides of the Atlantic. The following summer, Something Borrowed, hailed as a "heartbreakingly honest debut" with "dead-on dialogue, real-life complexity and genuine warmth," became a surprise sensation, and Giffin vowed never to practice law again.

Dubbed a "modern day Jane Austen" and a "dependably down-to-earth storyteller," Giffin has since penned four more New York Times bestsellers,Something Blue (2005), Baby Proof (2006), Love the One You're With (2008) and Heart of the Matter (2010). Her five novels, all filled with her endearingly flawed characters and emotional complexity, have been translated into twenty-nine languages, with five million copies in print worldwide. In addition, three of her novels have been optioned for the big screen, and Something Borrowed has been fast-tracked for an early 2010 shoot by the production companies of Hilary Swank and Edward Burns.

Giffin now resides with her husband and three young children in Atlanta, where she received the Georgia Debut Author of the Year Award. She is currently at work on her sixth novel and a screenplay for Baby Proof.
Links: FacebookWebsite

Are you a fan of Emily's? Read any or all of her books? Have a favorite?

Hi, I'm YA author, Jessica Salyer. I'm busy writing down the current story in my head and trying hard to be patient while querying. Thanks for stopping by. You can also find me at www.JessicaSalyer.com